Leaked email suggests Virat Kohli was behind Anil Kumble's ouster as India's head coach

Kohli and Kumble's rift made the dressing room environment uneasy.

Virat Kohli and Anil Kumble | GETTY

On June 20, 2017, just after India suffered a heartbreaking loss in ICC Champions Trophy final against Pakistan, their then head coach Anil Kumble resigned from his post after a successful one-year term with the Indian cricket team. There was news of Kumble not being able to gel-up well with the India captain Virat Kohli and the rest of the players in the dressing room.

However, the Board of Control for Cricket in India had snubbed such reports. But a recently leaked email has not supported their words.

As per AFP, a senior BCCI official wrote to board administrator Vinod Rai that Kohli "frequently sent SMS to the CEO on which you acted and there was a change in the coach".

"Mr. Kumble a legend in his own right was subjected to loss of face and made to look like a villain," added senior administrator Diana Edulji.

"He was gracious enough to move on for which I respect him. There also, rules were broken and I had raised objections back then."

The email has come out from another controversy in the women's national team between former coach Ramesh Powar and Mithali Raj. 

Kumble was replaced for his position by the former India cricketer and commentator Ravi Shastri.

Shastri had already served as the director of Team India. He found support from captain Kohli which made him the first choice over other applicants for head coach post like Virender Sehwag and Tom Moody. 

(With Inputs of Agence France-Presse) 

 
 

By Sihyeu Singh - 13 Dec, 2018

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